Electric torch



March 29, 1932. c:` FLAMM ELECTRIC rronca Filed oct. 1s, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Mr/zeg.

Puente-d Mu. 29, 1932 l UNITI-:D STATES 'PATENT for-FICE om ruim, or Numana, annum, AssIGNon fro mm- Susann, cir` NUBEMBEBG.' annum, A comm or `saumur! nnncrnrc 'ronca Application mea october 1s, 1927, semi m. 226,934, and 1n' eeringnyrmvmberav, 192e.

This invention relates to an improved electric torch of the kind in which the lamp and its reflector are relatively adjustable in the direction ofthe optical axis ofthe reflector by means of a hand-operated device projecting through the casing and guided thereln. p

. One object of the invention 1s to provide a simple construction adapted for ensuring maximum reliability' in'use.

`YA/iirther object ofthe invention is to providea'slider which is guided in the casing and supports the lamp socket anda contact device the latter being adapted for's'lidably engaging la fixed contact device and thereby maintaining a closed lamp circuit in various positions to which the lampmay beadjsted.

A further object ofv the invention. is to adapt the arrangement of contact devices so that the switching on and oif of the'lamp may be performed automatically by the parts when shifted by the hand adjustment which alters Y the relation between the lamp and its reflector.

A further object of the invention is -to r0- vide advantageous lamp switch devices w 'ch can be operated from the exterior of the torch and by the same hand as that which carries the torch and effects the adjustment of the lamp in relation to its reflector. Yet another object of the invention is to adapt the improved switching and adjustment devices whereby they are under the operative iniiuence of one'inger or thumb of the hand which grasps the torch. v

These and other objects will be made clear by the aid of descriptions of examples of suit-Y` able constructions illustrated in the annexed drawings forming partfpof speciicationl whereins-` f j y.,

Figure v1 ispartlya centralV longitudinal sectioniand partly a'nelevation ofa torch con-l structed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a fragment of. the n casing andv llamp *j adjusting means gulded thl'eln, the. Plan? 0f thlSSeCtlOll belng 1, surface ofthe casing and insulated'from the' latter 1 by the* insulation istripsa. .#Allpress at right' angles to the plane of the section j in Figurelf` v Figure 5 isfan elevation of switch and adi foldable suspension loop if; if desired.

justmentdevices as viewedb'from the rightv hand side ofFigure 4. i

tion bya screwcap on the lower end, this cap 'the battery gupwardly. The Iowa-portion of the casingia is fitted withv a pivoted` an v 1 In the upper part of the casing 'a' there is fixed an annular dia hragm or partition b',

and the upper end o the casing is closed by the usual glass 'or lens c carried bythescr'ew cap d.' n The reiiector e is secured by the screw-` ingonofthecapakv v An annulus hof .insulating material is fixed'to the partition b and a disc of conduc- 1 I tive metal i is secured in the insulatingrin h. The central pole 7c of the battery is pressed 'j against the disc c'. 1

A conductive spring Z connectsthediscic'i with a contact stud m which is mountedon .a cylindrical slider n situated within the cas-- ing above vthe partition b. If the slider n is of metal, the stud m is insulated. from it as shown. On the top of the slidercn there is mounted a socket o to lreceive the screw plug of the lamp g. Between the slider a van socket o there is interposed a contact blade or arm r,lthislatter being in sulated vfrom the slider a and stud ,m by the same insulation as thatwhich serves for in- Y -sulating .the studm. The blade or arm rr, however, is-in electrical contact` withthe socketfov the latter being insimilar contact.

withthe usual terminal cap of `the lamp plug. When the lamp g is screwed in, lits L with the stud m.y n

, other terminal s, which is centrallyv disposed l l lin the vend of the `screw plug, makes-contact; v `n A The outer end ofthe blade or armrr, which mai-be bent at afright angle as shown, makesf v sh 'ng contact with a contactv blade or'bar t, the latter bein mounted-upon thelinnerf-BJL lf@ i knob v'031s carried by :axb'ladef spring l ixe'd-:to' t the casing fa 4and","when-this iknoblistpresse'd vinwards against `the action of iits spring,` i it* makes centact with the blade or bar t and ico so completes the lamp circuit through the bat' ll1e slider n is fitted with an external knob fw the stem of which extends through a longi- 5 tudinal slot :v inthe casing a, as seen clearly in Fi re 2. The knob 'w is conveniently dis- `pose about 90"` around the casing from the switch knob jv. It will now be seen that the slider 'n and with it the lamp g mounted thereon may be shifted to and fro within the casin ain the direction of the optical axis of the re ector e, thereby altering the focus or relation between the lamp and reflector. As the slider n and lamp g are adjusted to and fro, the socket o slides in a sleeve extension of the reector e. Also the spring l will elongate or contract in accordance with the movement of the .slider n. In any position to which the lamp may be adjusted, the contact arm r will 29 maintain contact with the blade t, so that the 'continuity of the lamp` circuit will be reserved so lon as the switch 'v is closed. wing to the friction between the sliding surfaces, the slider n and lamp g will remain in an position to whichthey may be adjusted.A

t will be understood, by com aring ,Figures 1 and 2, that the torch maylbe operated by one hand as the first finger of the right-` hand, for example, may be applied to the knob lw for the adjustment of the slider n and lamp g, whilst the thumb may be applied to the press knob v for switching the lamp on. Also the switch may be closed and retained in the closed position by moving the slider y upwards by pressure of the thumb, the knob 'v being then engaged and depressed by the slider.

. According to the modification illustrated in Figure 3, the thumb-operated switch 'is dispensed with and the switching is performed automatically when moving the slider to adjust the focus. The construction generally of the modification is similar to that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the

contact with an insulated metal discz' which is electrically connected by a spring Zwith the insulated contact stud m and the latter being engaged by the central terminal contact of` the lamp plug when screwed into the socket. The metal arm r interposed between the lamp socket and the slider n makes electrical contact with the metal of the socket but is insulated from the slider n, as in Figure 1. In this modification, however, the outer end of the arm r is perforated or slotted to embrace, or take over, la Vertical contact bar or blade t fixed to the metal casing a and in electrical connection therewith. The bar't is insulated against the arm 1' by insulation u. Near the outer end of the arm 1' there isl mounted a spring contact 3 which is'adapted for pressing 'against the insulation u or against the contact bar t according to the V position to which'the slider 'n is adjusted. When the central terminal 7c of the battery being inis broken. Upon moving the slider n u wards and thereby adjusting the-lamp bulb out# wards or away-from the reflector, the spring contact 3 comes on to the metal of the contact bar t and completesl the lamp circuit. In

the Figure3, the spring contact`3 is bent to forma nose and the bar t is fitted with aL rojection or facing strip for the nose to ear upon, so that good contact will be secured. The spring contact 3 closes the lamp circuit immediately the outward movement of the slider commences and maintains closure'of such circuit throughout the range of adjustment of the slider n and the lamp bulb carried thereon. The lamp circuit is broken upon again restoring the parts to the position seen in Figure 3.

The further modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, whilstembodying the arm r and spring contact 3 described with reference to Figure 3, does not embody the feature of automatic switchin The-contact 3 continuousl 'contact ar or blade t which is insulated from the casing a as in Fi re 1. In this further modification, the s iderv 'n receives guidance from a slider plate 4 which slides 1n a groove formedv in an extension of the. switch housing 5, the stem of the knob w which is connected with the slider n being ,passed through a perforation in' the slider plate 4 and through a slot in the casing a.

. The contact bar or blade t passes through an opening e in the slider n aswell as through a slot or perforation in the end of the arm r. The lower end of the bar or blade t is bent to pass through an opening n the casing a and to present a contact point for engagement by the press knob o when depressed. The knob 'v is carried by a blade spring 1 which is fixed -in the metal switch housin 5, the latter being riveted to the casing a. e blade spring 1 is bent so as .to resent an incline suitable for engagementlb projection 6 on the slider y, the latter being movable up or down by thumb or finger pressure `and. guided in a slot in the housmg 5. Thus, the lamp can be adjusted in relation to the reflector by means of the knob w and the lamp circuit can be closed by ressing the knob vinto contact with the ar t.

Also the lamp circuit can be closed and main` tained in the closed condition b moving the slider y upwards, whereupon the projection 6 engages the incline of the blade spring 1 and flexes the latter so that the knob 4'u is mechanically pressed against the contact point of the bar t.

As will be seen from Figure 5, the knobs .w fv'and y are all in alignment and this arrangement enables all knobs to be operated,

presses against the metal of thel y a tooth or I with great ease whilst the-torch rests securely in the hand of the operator.

I claim: In an electric torch with unitary switch and focus adjustment and in which the torch. casing is included in the circuit, a lam carrier whose outer diameter is equal to t e inner diameter of the casing axially slidable with guidance within the torch casing and fitted with insulated lamp contacts, an extensible connection between one battery terminal and one of said contacts, a contact slide connected with the torch casing, a contact arm connected with the other of said lamp contacts and having sliding engagement with the contact slide, and an insulated covering for said slide, said covering limitin the rangI of sliding contact and causing a reak in t e lamp circuit when said range is exceeded, substantially as set forth.

- CARL FLAMM. 

